In this episode we talk with Jamie Manson, writer for of the National Catholic Reporter, about Sacrament – a churchy term with everyday resonance when heard through Jamie’s story.

A girl from New York who wants to be a priest, her mother and teachers believe in her. When the Roman Catholic Church closes their doors, Jamie finds herself – and her faith – at a Protestant Divinity School. This and more when a Priest and a Bishop walk into Jamie Manson’s story.

The Hosts of this Program:

Jessica Gazzola:

Jessica is an ordained priest in the Ecumenical Catholic Communion.
She is a mother to three kids who keep her busy and who remind her what it means to be human in a spiritual world.

Jessica grew up in the Roman Catholic Church and was powerfully influenced by its Sacraments and various strains of mysticism. She attended Marquette University and there the Jesuits helped ground her faith in reason and social justice. Jessica received her Masters of Divinity at an ecumenical seminary, Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis, where she was exposed to the wider world of Christianity. After Seminary she served the community of Sts. Clare & Francis as their Associate Pastor for seven years. Lately, Jessica has pulled back from her busy life in the parish to parent and dive deeper into her soul through projects like writing, gardening, cooking, and podcasting.

Frank Krebs:

Francis “Frank” Krebs served as a Roman Catholic priest in St. Louis, MO until 1990. He has been with his spouse, Art Maines, since 1998. Frank felt called back into ministry and joined the Ecumenical Catholic Communion (ECC) in 2005 after working for 15 years at a large behavioral health company as director of training and organizational development. Frank was, in that same year, a founding pastor of Sts. Clare & Francis ECC community in St. Louis, MO, where he continues to serve. In October of 2014, Frank was elected and consecrated to serve as Presiding Bishop of the ECC—“Bishop Francis”; since the ECC is a member communion, Bishop Francis also serves on the governing board of the National Council of Churches.

Welcome to “A Priest and a Bishop Walk into a Story.” The Bishop – is Frank Krebs, Presiding of the Ecumenical Catholic Communion and is an avid cyclist and builder of model trains. The Priest? That’s Jessica Gazzola, a priest in the Ecumenical Catholic Communion and a mom of three little ones who spend as much time as possible outside with her family. You’ve found your way into an ongoing conversation on progressive Catholic life. In this first episode, we’d like to set the stage for what’s to come this season. We call this episode “Introductory Rites” because in this hour we hope to:

— Begin to prepare a space for people to share their stories.
— Share why we think conversations about faith and religion even have a place in our lives.
— And we want you to get to know us, your hosts, better. In this first show, we’ll spend more time than usual sharing our ideas and stories.

Please indulge us and we’ll allow more time for unique voices and points of view in future episodes. We all have moments when we’re introduced to a person or an idea or a place that changes the course of our story. We can become blinded by our routines, but the truth is we never know when our story might suddenly change. Frank and I were once strangers; we were once strangers to Catholicism outside of the Roman Catholic Church. We’ll introduce our personal stories inside this episode. We’ll share how we met and how we

In this first show, we’ll spend more time than usual sharing our ideas and stories. Please indulge us and we’ll allow more time for unique voices and points of view in future episodes. We all have moments when we’re introduced to a person or an idea or a place that changes the course of our story. We can become blinded by our routines, but the truth is we never know when our story might suddenly change. Frank and I were once strangers; we were once strangers to Catholicism outside of the Roman Catholic Church. We’ll introduce our personal stories inside this episode. We’ll share how we met and how we changed the course of each other’s lives.

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The Closing Questions:

— — What introduction(s) changed the course of your life? A person? An idea? A place? Tell us now!

The Blessing:

Today, your story is captivating because the introduction of a character, a new twist, a fresh insight will change its telling tomorrow. May you be blessed by the unfolding epic that is your life, beginning new every day.

The Hosts of this Program:

Jessica Gazzola:

Jessica is an ordained priest in the Ecumenical Catholic Communion.
She is a mother to three kids who keep her busy and who remind her what it means to be human in a spiritual world.

Jessica grew up in the Roman Catholic Church and was powerfully influenced by its Sacraments and various strains of mysticism. She attended Marquette University and there the Jesuits helped ground her faith in reason and social justice. Jessica received her Masters of Divinity at an ecumenical seminary, Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis, where she was exposed to the wider world of Christianity. After Seminary she served the community of Sts. Clare & Francis as their Associate Pastor for seven years. Lately, Jessica has pulled back from her busy life in the parish to parent and dive deeper into her soul through projects like writing, gardening, cooking, and podcasting.

Frank Krebs:

Francis “Frank” Krebs served as a Roman Catholic priest in St. Louis, MO until 1990. He has been with his spouse, Art Maines, since 1998. Frank felt called back into ministry and joined the Ecumenical Catholic Communion (ECC) in 2005 after working for 15 years at a large behavioral health company as director of training and organizational development. Frank was, in that same year, a founding pastor of Sts. Clare & Francis ECC community in St. Louis, MO, where he continues to serve. In October of 2014, Frank was elected and consecrated to serve as Presiding Bishop of the ECC—“Bishop Francis”; since the ECC is a member communion, Bishop Francis also serves on the governing board of the National Council of Churches.